A truly great bagel is hard to find, but you can find bins of them waiting for you at New York Bagel just outside of Detroit in Ferndale, MI. New York Bagel achieves the trifecta: a crispy exterior, flavorful dough, and chewy yet not doughy. Bagels are at their best fresh out of the oven and this fourth-generation bagel shop bakes them all day long. My preferred bagel test is to take the first bite of it unadulterated before cream cheese can hide any flaws. Whether you are sitting in your car tearing into this one or bringing a dozen home for a brunch spread, these bagels are so flavorful they can stand squarely on their own. But a bagel’s natural habitat is to be schmeared with cream cheese, and New York Bagel’s twelve varieties of cream cheese do not disappoint.